MEDICAL SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1919, Page 4

MEDICAL SERVICE.

EXTENSION TO OUTER DISTRICTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, ftagt Night. The Minister for Health stated to-day that the question of extending the medical service throughout the Dominion had been receiving full consideration. A number of nurses had already been established under the Government's new scheme, which provides that fees be collected in the various districts in order to recoup the consolidated revenue for the cost of the nurses.

The Minister also pointed out that under the Public Health Amendment Act provision is made for the appointment of resident medical practitioners in local districts under county councils or other local authorities, power being given such bodies to pay the salary of a doctor, either out of the general rate or from a separate rate. Power was also given for two districts to combine for this purpose. Also, power was given to a local authority to pay out of the ordinary funds money for any society, organisation, or institution whose object was to promote public health. The Minister added that the proposals Were so far-reaching in their effect upon public health that it was a source of satisfaction to him before his retirement from the position of Minister for Public Health of the Dominion to be able to point out that during his term of office two great reforms had been established which, he believed, would have an enormous effect on promoting medical service for people in the outer districts.